Drop testing machine



Fel. 11, 1958 G, FREEDY 2,822,687

DROP TESTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 4, 1957 l ffwo.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1v -|NVENTR 3 l LESLIE G. FREEDY ATTORNEYS L. G. FREEDY2,822,687

DROP TESTING MACHINE 8 Feb'. 1l, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4,1957 /8 INVENTOR LESLIE GLFREEDY AT TORNEYS Feb. 1l, 1958 1 G. FREEDY2,822,687

DROP TESTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 4, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR LESLIEG. FREEDY ATTORNEYS Feb. 11, 1958 1 cg. FREEDY 2,822,687

DROP TESTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 4, 1957 .4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l l 40 52% al4 26 2f AT TORNEYS 2,822,687 DROP TESTING MACHINE Leslie G. Freedy,Wauwato'sa, Wis., assignor to Vana'nt Company, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., 'a`corporation Application January 4, 1957, Serial No. 632,564 4 Claims.(Cl. 73 '12) fhis invention appertains to testing apparatus and moreparticularly to a novel machine for drop testing packed shipping cartonsto determine the strength of Vthe package and Acarton and the amount ofabuse the carton and its contents can take when dropped from variousheights.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a drop testingmachine of an exceptionally' simple and durable character and one whichcan be carried by a wall or partition, so that the machine will occupy aminimum amount of floor space and whereby the use of an expensivesupporting frame is eliminated.

Another salient object of the invention is to provide a versatile droptesting machine embodying an upper and a lower horizontal track andspaced Vertical tracks each carrying independent drop leaves forsupporting a package therebetween, the drop leaves being adjustable onthe vertical tracks to position the leaves desired distances from thefloor, one of said vertical tracks being slidable on the horizontaltracks to vary the distance between the drop leaves so that cartons ofvarying lengths can be initially supported by the Vleaves and wherebypackages can be supported either lengthwise or endwise on the leaves. yy

A further important object of the invention Vis the provision of meansfor pivota-lly mounting the drop leaves on slide brackets carriedvby thevertical tracks wi-th releasable latches for holding the leaves in ahorizontal carton supporting posit-ion, and means for simultaneouslyoperating the latches so that the leaves will droprfsynchronously awayfrom the carton under the weight thereof for permitting the quick flatdropping of the cartons.

A. still further object of the invention is the provision of meanswhereby either latch can be independently op'- erated so that the cartoncan 'fall from one end or the other, as may be desired, for testingcorner resistance.

A still further important object of the invention is the provision ofreleasable means (for holding the vertical track in any desired positionon the horizontal track and Afor releasably holding the sliding brackets`for the drop leaves in any desired adjusted position.

With these and otherobjects in view, the invention consists in the novelconstruction, arrangement and formation of parts, as willbe vhereinaftermore specifically described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the improved drop `testingmachine showing the same "carried by a wall or a partition of abuilding, the lloor 'of the :building 'being shown in section, the dropleaves being shown in their horizontal carton supporting position in'full lines and in their carton dropping position in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on lthe line 2 2 of Figurel, 'looking in the direction of 'the arrows; Y Y

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View 'taken fon the line 3 3 of Figurel, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is an enlarged Afragmentary detail plan view showing the slidebracket for the adjustable vertical track mounted on the vupperhorizontal track, parts of this view being shown broken Aaway and insection to illustrate structural detail;

Vtion of the arrows, vrand Vice haunted Feb. 11, 195s Figure 5 is anenlarged yfragmentary detail transverse sectional view taken on the line5 5 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and illustratingthe releasable means for adjustably holding the slide bracket for thevertical track on the upper horizontal track against movement; f

Figure 6 is a detail vertical sectional View taken on the line 6 6 otFigure 3, looking inthe direction of the arrows illustrating a detail ofconstruction of the vertical slidable brackets for the drop leaves. Y

Figure 7 is a detail vertical sectional view taken a right angles toFigure 6 and on the line '7 7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail horizontal sectional View illustrating theconstruction of this slide bracket, the view being taken on the line 8 8of Figure 7, looking in the direc- Figure 9 is a detail verticaltransverse sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of vFigure 3, looking inthe direction of the arrows illustrating the Construction of one of thereleasable latches employed for supporting a drop leaf.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar .referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the letter `D generally `indicates the improved drop testing machine andthe same includes an upper horizontal track 10 land a lower spaced track11. These tracks are located the-desired distance apart and the trackscan be secured in spaced relation to` -a Wall or partition 12 by meansof bolts 13. Spacing sleeves 114 are interposed between the tracks andthe wall so as to insure the proper positioning of these tracks relativeto the wall.

The upper track lil is preferably formed from angle iron or structuralsteel with one I'flange of the track projecting outwardly from the wall12 in a horizontal plane. This flange has welded or otherwise `securedthereto, a wear 'track bar 15. The lower track 411 is also preferablyformed from angle iron or structural steel and one flange of this trackprojects outwardly from the wall in a horizontal plane. Securelyfastened to the tracks 10 and 11 at 'one end thereof is a vertical track16. This vertical track can be secured at its opposite terminals tothehorizontal tracks 1t) and 11 by welding, or by bolts 17, as shown.Arranged for sliding movement on the tracks 10 and 11 toward the rigidvertical track .16 is a second vertical track 18. The tracks 16 and 18are preferably formed from structural steel of a T-shape in crosssection. The ver-tical track 18 is suspended from the upper horizontaltrack 10, in -a novel fashion, as will now be set forth. The upper endof the vertical track 18 has Vrigidly secured thereto Ia at hanger plate19 which projects outwardly in opposite directions from the track. Theends of `the lhanger bar .have welded -or otherwise fastened thereto,such as bybol'ts 20, `inwardly projecting U-shaped slide brackets 21.lThese' spaced slide brackets 21 hook over `and slide on the track wearbar `15. The lower end of the track 18 rotatably carries a verticallydisposed roller 22 which bears against ythe horizontal ange of the lower-horizontal 1'track 11. By thi'sarrangementethe track 18 can be slidlalong the -hori- `zontal tracks toward and away from rther ri-gidvertical track 16. In order to hold the vertical track 18 ing ,aselected adjusted position, YYthe same carries -at spaced .points turnbolts 23 which can be rotated vinto and fout ofV binding contactwithvthe track-wear bar 15. r

The vertical tracks v16y and 18 each carry identically formed slidebrackets'i and-25 and these slide `brackets `in turn `pivotally supportlike drop V`leavespzp' andf'Z.' These drop leavesffZo and-27 arenorrnallymaintainedinV a horizontal position, as will be .later .setforth,.forfssupporting a package or cartonY thatshouldbe tested. p fbrackets 24 and 25 are movable up and down ,ontheir 3 tracks 16 and 18so that the cartons supported by the leaves can be positioned in anydesired height above a floor.

The brackets 24 and 25 each include a slide face plate 28 for engagingthe outer surface of its respective track 16 or 18. Each slide faceplate 28 has rigidly secured to its opposite ends C-shaped horizontallydisposed slide plates 29 and 30. These C-shaped slide plates 29 and 30embrace their respective tracks. In order to add rigidity to the slidebrackets 24 and 25 at their opposite ends, a clamp block 31 is placed ontop of the upper C-shaped slide plate 29 and bolts 32 extend through theclamp block 31, the upper slide plate 29 and into the upper end of theface slide plate 28. Each of the upper C-shaped slide plates 29 carriesan outwardly projecting stud 33 and rigidly fastened to each stud bymeans of a bolt 34 is an outwardly projecting tubular supporting rod 35.The rods 35 rockably support the drop leaves 26 and 27 and the dropleaves are provided with hinge barrels 36 which are rotatably mounted onthe rods 35. Stop collars 37 are rigidly fastened to rods and engage thehinge barrels 36 so as to prevent lateral shifting of the drop leaves 26and 27 on the rods 35. In order to prevent twisting of the rods 35, thesame can be braced by struts 38 and these struts extend from the lowerC-plates 30 to the rods 35 at a point intermediate their ends.

The brackets 24 and 25 are held in a selected adjusted position on theirtracks 16 and 18 in any desired way, and as illustrated the tracks 16and 18 are provided, each,

`with a row of equidistantly spaced openings 39. Pins 40 are carried bythe slide brackets and these pins can be positioned in selected openings39.

As heretofore stated, novel means is provided for releasably holding thedrop leaves 26 and 27 in their horizontal cartonV supportingposition,and this means includes outwardly projecting arms 41 whichextend along the inner edge of the drop leaves. These arms are rigidlyfastened to the rods 35 against turning movement and the arms carryguides 42 for spring pressed sliding latch bolts 43. The inner ends ofthe bolts are provided with tapered noses 44 and the outer ends of thebo'lts carry rings 45. The opposite-ends of a pull chain 46 areconnected to the rings 45 so that when a pull is exerted on the chain 46both of the latch bolts 43 will be synchronously actuated against thetension of their springs. T he inner corners of the leaves 26 and 27rotatably carry laterally projecting rollers 47 and these rollers areadapted to normally rest on top of the latch bolts. When the latch boltsare withdrawn from below the rollers by means of a pull on the chain 46the drop leaves 26 and Z7 will immediately fall away from a packagebeing supported thereby. Thus, the package can be quickly and evenlydropped for ilat testing. As soon as the package or carton is dropped,the chain 46 is released and when the drop leaves are more or less#lifted to their horizontal positions, lthe rollers 47 will engage thetapered noses 44 of the bolts 43 and snap back these bolts so that therollers will ride past the bolts. When this happens, and upon outwardsliding movement of the boltsv the rollers will again rest on the uppersurface of the bolts.

Obviously, by adjusting the vertical track 18 toward and away from therigid track 16, cartons of dierent widths can be accommodated, or ifdesired, the leaves 26 and 27 can be moved close together for supportinga package on its end or away from one another for supporting a packageon its side. If such should be desired, one selected bolt 43 can beactuated by grasping the chain nearer that bolt, and in this case onlyone leaf will be dropped allowing a package to fall on a corner. 1

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided asimple machine which can be easily and quickly adjusted for height andalso for the length or width of a package. Y

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or thescope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

l. A drop testing machine comprising spaced horizontally disposed guidetracks, a pair of vertical guide tracks, means for adjusting at leastone of the vertical guide tracks on the horizontal guide tracks towardand away from the other vertical guide track, slide brackets on saidvertical tracks, carton supporting drop leaves rockably carried by theslide brackets, means adjustably securing the slide brackets in aselected position on the vertical tracks for disposing the drop leavesat a desired distance from a floor, at least one of said drop leavesbeing movable with a vertical track toward and away from the other dropleaf for receiving packages of dilerent lengths, and means forreleasably holding the drop leaves in a horizontal carton supportingposition.

2. A drop testing machine comprising an upper and a lower horizontaltrack, means rigidly securing the tracks to a supporting surface, avertical track rigidly secured to the horizontal tracks at one endthereof, a second vertical track slidable on the horizontal trackstoward and away from the rigid track, means releasably holding theadjustable vertical track in a selected position, slide brackets movableup and down on the vertical tracks, means releasably securing the slidebrackets on the vertical tracks in a selected adjusted position,outwardly projecting rods carried by the slide brackets, drop leavesrotatably mounted at their outer edges on said rods, releasable latchesfor supporting the drop leaves in a horizontal carton supportingposition, the distance between said drop leaves being variable by theadjustment of the adjustable vertical track on the horizontal tracks,and means for releasing the latches.

3. A drop testing machine comprising an upper and a lower horizontaltrack, means for securing the tracks rigidly in spaced relation to asupport, a vertical track rigidly secured to the horizontal tracks, asecond vertical track slidably mounted on the horizontal tracks towardand away from the rigid vertical track, slide brackets carried by thevertical tracks, means holding the slide brackets in a selected adjustedposition on the vertical tracks, each of said slide brackets having anoutwardly projecting stud, tubular rods receiving the studs and rigidlysecured thereto, drop leaves having hinge barrels along one longitudinaledge rotatably mounted on the rods and releasable latches supporting theinner ends of said drop leaves for holding said drop leaves in ahorizontal carton receiving position, and means for synchronouslyoperating the latches.

4. A drop testing machine comprising an upper horizontal track, a lowerhorizontal track, means rigidly securing the tracks in spaced relationto a support, a vertical track rigidly secured to and uniting thehorizontal tracks, a second vertical track slidable on the horizontaltracks toward and away from the rigid track, means detachably connectingthe adjustable vertical track in a selected position on the horizontaltracks, slide brackets mounted on the vertical tracks, means adjustablysecuring the slide brackets to the vertical tracks, outwardly projectingrods carried by the slide brackets, drop leaves mounted on said rods forswinging movement, supporting arms rigidly secured to said rods andpnojecting from said rods toward one another, slide latch bolts carriedby the arms, means for operating the bolts, and rollers carried by theinner corners of the drop leaves for normally resting upon the uppersurface of the latch bolts to hold the drop leaves against swingingmovement, said latch bolts being movable from under the rollers torelease the drop leaves.

References Cited in the lle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,753,513 Hansen Apr. 8, 1930 2,257,469 Keil Sept. 30, 1941 2,452,084Tomlin Oct. 26, 1948

